My book has been out for about a month now. It's always fun to watch the heart tally on Ravelry. While I know it isn't 100% accurate, it's a good indicator of what people are responding to, and it's nearly always surprising. The Loro Vest has emerged as a clear favorite, and I'll admit, I may have tried to engineer this!...

It can be a fool's game to try to predict what will be a hit with knitters. So-called wildfire knits can take on a life of their own. This was certainly the case with my Aidez Cardigan, a free pattern that has been knit thousands of times. When I try to dissect the appeal, I land on a few key points. The basic construction is blessedly simple, and the neck-hugging shawl collar is universally flattering. Secondly, it was an easy knit. Macro cables were speedy and dramatic when knit with a round, outsized yarn.

It felt wonderful to revisit these elements here with a buoyant hand-dyed merino. I've simplified the back, which is now a clean swath of moss stitch, putting all focus on the deeply tactile plaited cables on each front. These dramatic braids are flanked by a simple column of easy lace.

[excerpt from Magpies, Homebodies and Nomads: A Modern Knitter's Guide to Discovering and Exploring Style, published by STC Craft | Melanie Falick Books]

I've decided to host my very first knit-along to celebrate the book and the warm reception this particular garment has gotten. It's a really easy knit, and it made me fall in love with vests. A lot of knitters tackled Aidez as a first sweater project, which impressed me to no end! Loro is even easier--it's two scarves with a lot of interest and a very simple moss stitch back. I have some tricks to share along the way, but mostly I envision the knit-along as a way to virtually hangout with you. I can't wait to see finished versions of Loro popping up on Ravelry.

You can find updates here and in my Ravelry group. The general schedule is as follows:

December 1st: scheme and swatch! I'll be discussing yarn substitution and modifications.

December 15th: cast-on for the back. It's the perfect bit of mindless holiday knitting and will fit easily into stolen moments.

January 1st: we'll kick things into high gear with the super fun multi-textured fronts.

January 31st: finishing time! I know it's not everyone's favorite task, but I happen to love it, and have some special plans for this part of the process...

There are no special rules for joining. If you have the book and an urge to have a cozy new piece of knitwear come January, knit along!